Kerry ETB gets ready to close the digital skills gap with Code Institute

Code Institute has partnered with the Kerry ETB (Education Training Board) to upskill 14 students to software development.

Last month, at the Kerry SciTech launch event, 180 new tech-related jobs were advertised, and as a direct result of this, industries in the county are searching for more industry-ready and career-focused software developers.

Code Institute’s software development programme focuses on delivering graduates that are ready for today’s industry. Participating students will graduate after 14 weeks with a university credit-rated diploma in software development, which is recognised at level 5 of the European Qualifications Framework.

The programme is designed by experts who ensure that the learning content is interactive, entirely up to date and easy to follow. This classroom cohort is unique in that while there will be a physical classroom, the students will be taught using Code Institute’s state-of-the-art learning management system, where their tutors and mentors will remotely interact with the students. This type of blended learning is the future of education, and Kerry ETB is ahead of the game in using it.

To ensure that graduates are ready for industry, Code Institute works with an Industry Advisory Council (IAC) made up of global companies like PayPal, Accenture, GSK and RedHat. These companies regularly advise Code Institute as to what is in demand for today’s industry in terms of coding languages and skills that companies now require.

This programme aims to ensure that there are enough locally sourced and reskilled software developers in the Kerry region to fill a percentage of the roles as they emerge from the buzzing tech scene in the county. In fact, according to a Kerry SciTech survey, the indication is that there will be similar job growth in 2020. Therefore, it is envisaged that further cohorts will be accepted every quarter to the programme. The accelerated programme will take place in May 2019 in Kerry ETB’s facility in Tralee.

John Herlihy, Kerry ETB, said: “Although our county has a thriving new technology industry – one of the main issues identified by a range of start-ups is the lack of qualified software developers. Our collaboration with Code Institute will go some way towards addressing the tech skills and productivity gap and will hopefully be the first of many joint initiatives in addressing the needs of individuals and enterprise. We very much look forward to working with them.”

Financial Times recently named the Code Institute as one of its 100 Digital Champions leading Europe’s Growth. Edinburgh Napier University certifies its programme and its online course has received approvals from government bodies around the world, including the Swedish Council for Higher Education, the Ministry of Communication in Singapore, the Higher Education Authority in Ireland, and the Ministry of Education, Ontario, in Canada.

Jim Cassidy, CEO, Code Institute, said: “Code Institute believes in the power of accelerated learning, enabling people with no previous experience to transfer into software roles. Kerry’s tech scene is blossoming right now, and it’s great to see startups and international companies like JRI America, Dairymaster and Aspen Grove Solutions embedding their businesses in a place that holds so much natural beauty in Ireland. However, there is a skills gap in the region, and there is a clear benefit in partnering with Kerry ETB to ensure that a proportion of the 180 jobs announced can be filled by locally-based digital talent. We look forward to working with them now and in the future.”